Comparable results from Indigenous teen sex study.

A snapshot of the sexual behaviour of a group of Indigenous young people living in Townsville, Queensland, found that the level of sexual activity among this group was comparable to results from studies of sexual behaviour among young Australians in general. The U Mob Yarn Up project surveyed 200 Indigenous students from Years 9-11, finding that 46% of participants had had sexual intercourse. Among these participants, 56% had first had sex at age 13 or 14, while 15% had lost their virginity at age 12 or younger. Around 40% of sexually active participants said that they used condoms occasionally or never, while one-third said that alcohol and/or drugs had been involved in their first sexual encounter. Male participants and participants who reported drinking alcohol regularly were likely to have sex at an earlier age. 'Indigenous teenagers, like other teenagers, are experimenting with sex but not practising safe sex reliably,' said study leader Dr Sarah Larkins, who works with Townsville Aboriginal and islander Health Services (21/05/07: Canberra Times, p.5; Northern Territory News; p.6; Adelaide Advertiser, p.8).